JODIE NEARY REPLACES JENNIFER WHITMORE ON COUNTY COUNCIL
GREYSTONES native Jodie Neary has officially taken over Jennifer Whitmore’s seat on Wicklow County Council. A special meeting at Wicklow County Council buildings was convened yesterday, Tuesday, February 25.
Social Democrats members voted for Jodie Neary to take over Jennifer Whimore’s seat, which was vacated when she was successfully elected to the Dáil. This brings to two, the number of public representatives the party now has representing Wicklow, with Jodie Neary as the new local councillor for the Greystones Municipal District.
Cllr Neary lives in Greystones with her husband and five-year-old twin girls and has worked as a parliamentary adviser/party administrator for the past eight years in Leinster House. She has campaigned in six elections, four referenda and two Seanad campaigns and most recently acted as press manager for Deputy Whitmore’s General Election campaign.
‘I’m delighted that I was selected and supported by the Social Democrats’ branch in Wicklow to take over Jennifer’s seat on the council,’ said Cllr Neary. ‘I have worked with Jennifer for a number of years, campaigning on the ground and have seen first-hand the incredible work she has done for local communities in Greystones, Delgany, Kilcoole and Newcastle. I want to continue the work she has carried out and build on her success for the benefit of residents in the local area.
‘Together, we will continue working towards seeking a resolution to the crisis in secondary school places, advocate for sustainable development and better provision of infrastructure for our towns, and work towards increasing access to public transport to relieve congestion on our roads.’
Cllr Neary said that she would also bring her own priorities to the role and look at ways communities can help address climate change and the biodiversity crisis, a passion she said she shares with Deputy Whitmore.
‘I will use my own experience legislating for the world-first Fossil Fuel Divestment Act when working as a Parliamentary Adviser, to enable communities to hold their local authorities and their Government to account on climate action,’ said Cllr Neary.
‘On a community level I want to prioritise policies that advocate greater social inclusion for people with disabilities, elderly people, women and minority groups as well as finding ways to embrace the diversity of cultures we have in this area.
‘I also want to see the role of communities increased in the functioning of Wicklow County Council and see the rolling out of community budgeting, successfully piloted in South Dublin, which would give local communities a much larger say in where funding goes in their locality.
‘I look forward to working with the Social Democrats team in Wicklow and with Jennifer as we commit to representing the needs of communities in Greystones, Delgany, Kilcoole and Newcastle and across county Wicklow. Wicklow now has two Social Democrats public representatives, making us well placed to deal with the issues facing residents in Wicklow head on.’